This topic deserves a lot of thought - because the decisions often become irrevocable. I spent 20 years running rental housing on my own, and worked for HUD for 25. You can make money in real estate - I made, and lost, a lot of it. But a home is different than rental property - a lot of different decisions go into evaluating the costs and benefits. If you keep your house - it may go up in value - then it may not. The cost of running rental housing can easily outpace the rental income - think vacancy factor. On the sell - timing is everything - but it is very difficult to time the housing market, as many have found out.

Then again - the crusing life is not for all. Most pople we have met in the last three years have a house - most folks are pretty affluent down here cruising. But then again - this is Mexico - commuter crusing land from So Cal.

Last year five months in Mazatlan waiting out the hurricane season seemed a bit long - we did three months this year - A house might have been nice to go to. However, if you rent the house out, then you may, or may not, have lots of headaches - plus you won't have anyplace to go during the off season. It may - or may not - go up - in value - though I would only count the inflation factor for the next three years - 3-5 percent, based on the current comps in your area. There could still be a 5-10 percent slide in the market over the next year. Lots of variables here. We had a hot real estate market in 2003 so it was easy to sell - that is not the case now.